It is a well-known fact that rabbits are very social animals. They love to meet their new friends, love to be together and spend time with other rabbits.
The thing that fascinates most pet owners is the short-term or long-term memory of their own pets. Just like other animals, rabbits love to do the same thing every day. They like to follow their routine. This also suggests that a rabbit can retain information.
So, you might know what direction I’m going towards; it’s that rabbits have the capacity to remember people, other rabbits, and even places.
But what if their long-lost sibling just arrived? Do they remember each other? Or do they remember their parents, their family?
These are the questions you might have asked before you came here, right? Then, this article won’t disappoint you and will provide you with enough answers. Therefore, folks, keep reading!
Do Bunnies Remember Their Siblings?
Rabbits do have a short-term memory that might last for less than 5 minutes. But then again, they also retain beneficial information for a longer period of time.
When something happens to humans that may affect their emotions, they tend to remember that thing for a longer period of time. Just like this, animals are not different in this scenario.
Dogs, cats, and even rabbits remember the things or events that might have affected them emotionally or they might have a memory of that certain thing.
In most cases, this includes human owners and their siblings. The word “sibling” refers to “an understandable bond,” which is also the same for rabbits too. They already have a basic understanding of each other, so it is easier for them to spend their time together comfortably.
It can sometimes be a bit confusing to watch two rabbit siblings because they might try to mate together, ignoring the fact that they are biologically from the same family. This won’t stop them from reproducing.
Rabbits have a strong sense of smell, so they usually recognize each other by scent. So, if the scent changes, like if they went to the vet, they might get a new aroma, which leads to the suspicious look of other rabbits. In some cases, they may no longer recognize each other!
This is extremely unlikely if the siblings already formed a bond, so it’s hard to cut through. Well, as an owner, you should always be ready for their re-interaction or re-bonding if they forget each other.
Do Rabbits Remember Their Mothers?
Their relationship with their mothers is a lot more complicated than with their siblings. As rabbits usually bond easily with their siblings, the same cannot be said for their mothers. The reason behind this could be that they are not traditionally maternal animals.
While a female rabbit is pregnant, she will find a safe place for her young ones to be born. But as the baby bunnies arrive, they might not be that attentive. In fact, sometimes, they eat their own young ones to prevent predators.
If they are alive, then their mother will neglect them, and unlike other animals, they won’t sit with their young ones all day. This instinct comes from the wild rabbits.
They will stay away from their holes, which will make the predators get away from their babies. And at the end of the day, they will come to feed them.
Their mother comes to feed them or provide them with milk once a day, which won’t take more than five minutes. And do you believe rabbits form bonds with their mothers in those 5 minutes? No, right? A baby rabbit cannot be separated from its mother for a time period of six weeks. When they reach adulthood, their connection might be forgotten.
This makes us conclude that the mother-child relationship in bunnies is reproving!
Do Rabbits Recognize Their Family?
Rabbits are known for their intelligence. They can easily recognize their family and, moreover, can differentiate between them.
Factually, they can differentiate between different people, so it is understood that they will surely recognize their own family. It has been discovered that rabbits recognize or, more precisely, identify their kind and people close to them through smell.
They smell the other rabbits’ scents when they pass by or come across them to identify them easily. There are some other factors too, like the sound of other animals and people’s voices.
They always remember specific tones and voices, so this will also lead them to their loved ones. Although the way you look also plays a role in their recognition.
Do Rabbits Remember Their Deceased Friends?
The fact that rabbits are very social and friendly creatures means they form unbreakable bonds with some of their friends or siblings. So, if your rabbit’s friend suddenly vanishes, it will worsen their mood and that might affect their mental health.
Your rabbit will worry and be sad for… well, I don’t know how long of a period of time. It will try to look for any sign of their companion’s presence. Your rabbit may be concerned that it will be the next to vanish, but it will remember its friend for a long time.
Looking at all the signs of the current situation, it would be best if you allowed your rabbit to see the body of their deceased friend. Don’t worry, it will not mortify your rabbit. They may even binky around the corpse. Maybe it’s your rabbit’s way of saying goodbye.
Well, this won’t end here. Your rabbit might get depressed in the days that follow. They might become destructive and seek attention.
For this, you have to be more patient and affectionate towards your bunny. They have just recently lost their companion and it will make it harder for them to accept a new hutch mate.
They will bond with another rabbit someday soon. Don’t force them to do so because some cannot get past the loss of a familiar friend or a sibling. Their memories will remain with them.
How Long Is A Bunny’s Memory?
Bunnies have short-term and long-term memories. The short-term memory will remain for no more than four minutes.
This is the reason why their training can be very tiresome and a very testing experience. Well, the cure for this can be a short training session or scheduling training hours for your rabbit.
Their long-term memory can be a different tale to tell. That is if something important happens to them, they won’t forget.
And this is very relevant when it comes to bad experiences. If they lose their loved ones, i.e., their owners or their friends, they might get affected very badly, making it impossible for them to forget such an event.
If something has cons, it must have pros too, and in this case, it is that if a rabbit causes themselves an injury, there will be a lesser possibility of them repeating the same incident. But this may cause them difficulty in their learning.
A rabbit’s memory depends on the experiences they face and how valuable those experiences were. Rabbits tend to remember sights, sounds, and most importantly, smells.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Rabbits Attach to Their Owners?
Yes! Rabbits usually have a close bond with their owners. They usually recognize them by their appearance, their way of talking, particularly the specific voice and the tone they use to speak. Rabbits usually respond to their owners’ commands based on how they are called. Bunnies even follow their owners from room to room and jump up on their laps when called. Rabbits get attached to their owners because they feel safe with them. They don’t feel threatened by the environment if they are with their owners. Rabbits always need a comfortable environment to live in, and with their owner, they feel safe.
Do Rabbits Remember Faces?
Once a rabbit gets comfortable with you, the very first thing they do is learn the meaning of your facial expression, and this will be a long-term or permanent memory for them. This means yes, rabbits remember their owners. Rabbits are tricky to understand sometimes in terms of the wide range of emotions they have. But they are known as intelligent and social animals too. So, they find compatibility with someone they always remember. For rabbits, being compatible or comfortable with someone is what they need or ask for most of the time. As in the outdoor environment, there are many adverse situations that are waiting for rabbits and can cost them their lives. So to feel at ease, they only put their trust in a very limited number of people. And because those people mean so much to them, they never forget their faces.
Conclusion
Rabbits always recognize their siblings and family members. Rabbits are well known for their social nature and troublesome personalities. This ball of fur loves to be together with people who make it feel safe and secure.
They love to spend time with their family, siblings, or those who are close to them. They find their comfortable place among their own kind, siblings, and family members.
They can easily recognize them by their smell and their voices. But if the rabbit and their siblings are separated from each other for a long period of time, then their owner needs to reintroduce them and give them time to make bonds again.
